Brandon Nakashima

Brandon Nakashima is one of the quieter characters in the American game, a composed and unfailingly professional figure who lets his tennis do the talking. Grounded and humble by nature (he credits his pharmacist parents for the advice to “work hard and stay the course”), the San Diego native carries a maturity that was sharpened by an early, if brief, college stint at the University of Virginia. That temperament shows in his tennis: he is a clean, efficient baseliner who counts the backhand as his favourite shot, builds points with patience and precision, and rarely beats himself. An idoliser of Roger Federer who admits he plays more in the mould of Novak Djokovic, Nakashima relies on consistency, sharp movement and exceptional nerve in the tight moments, qualities reflected in a remarkable run of tiebreak success during his breakthrough year. His solidity, shot-making and calm under pressure make him a stubborn and dangerous opponent, particularly on hard courts.

Nakashima is only 24, yet he has already spent several seasons as a fixture among the deep pack of talented Americans on tour. He announced himself in 2021 by reaching back-to-back finals in Los Cabos and Atlanta as a 19-year-old, becoming the youngest American to make multiple tour-level finals since Andy Roddick two decades earlier, and reached the Next Gen ATP Finals semis that year before going unbeaten to capture the title in 2022. That same season brought a maiden ATP title on home soil in San Diego, plus a fourth-round run at Wimbledon and the third round at Roland Garros. He has since beaten the likes of Holger Rune (a 6-0, 6-2 demolition in Shanghai in 2023) and Andrey Rublev, and produced his best Grand Slam result by reaching the fourth round of the 2024 US Open. Nakashima climbed to a career-high of world No 29 and, while his game has not yet translated into a regular presence in the deepest rounds of majors, he has repeatedly shown he has the level to trouble the very best on his day.